TGF-beta type receptor cDNAs encoded products and uses therefor

ABSTRACT

DNA encoding TGF-β type III receptor of mammalian origin, DNA encoding TGF-β type II receptor of mammalian origin, TGF-β type III receptor, TGF-β type II receptor and uses therefor.

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/420,192 filed Apr. 18, 2003, which is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/584,929 filed Jun. 1, 2000 (Abandoned), which is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/446,936 filed May 23, 1995 (Issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,108), which is a Divisional Application of Ser. No. 08/311,703 filed Sep. 23, 1994 (Issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,872), which is a File Wrapper Continuation of Ser. No. 07/786,063 filed Oct. 31, 1991 (Abandoned). The entire teachings of each application are incorporated herein by reference.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

Work described herein was funded by National Cancer Institute Grant No. R35-CA39826; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Centers of excellence Grant HL-41484; the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund; National Institutes of Health predoctoral training grant number T 32 BM07287-16; and the American Cancer Society. The United States government has certain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a member of a family of structurally related cytokines that elicit a variety of responses, including growth, differentiation, morphogenesis, in many different cell types. (Roberts, A. B. and M. B. Spron, In: Peptide Growth Factors and Their Receptors, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, pp. 421-472 (1990); Massague, J., Annu. Rev. Cell. Biol. 6. 597-641 (1990)). In vertebrates at least five different forms of TGF-β, termed TGF-β1 to TGF-β5, have been identified; they all share a high degree (60%-80%) of amino-acid sequence identity. While TGF-β1 was initially characterized by its ability to induce anchorage-independent growth of normal rat kidney cells, its effects on most cell types are anti-mitogenic. (Altschul, S. F. et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410 (1990); Andres, J. L. et al., J. Cell. Biol. 109:3137-3145 (1989)). It is strongly growth-inhibitory for many types of cells, including both normal and transformed epithelial, endothelial, fibroblast, neuronal, lymphoid, and hematopoietic cells. In addition, TGF-β plays a central role in regulating the formation of extracellular matrix and cell-matrix adhesion processes.

In spite of its widespread effects on cell phenotype and physiology, little is known about the biochemical mechanisms that enable TGF-β family members to elicit these varied responses. Three distinct high-affinity cell-surface TGF-β binding proteins, termed type I, II, and III, have been identified by incubating cells with radiolabelled TGF-β1, cross-linking bound TGF-β1 to cell surface molecules, and analyzing the labeled complexes by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. (Massague, J. and B. Like, J. Biol. Chem. 260:2636-2645 (1985); Cheifetz, S. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 261:9972-9978 (1986).) The binding constants are about 5-50 pM for the type I and II receptor and 30-300 pM for the type III receptor. (Boyd, F. T. and J. Massague, J. Biol. Chem. 264:2272-2278 (1989)).

The type I and II receptors, of estimated 53 and 70-100 kilodaltons mass respectively, are N-glycosylated transmembrane proteins that are similar in many respects. Each of these receptors has a distinct affinity for each member of the TGF-β family of ligands. (Boyd, F. T. and J. Massague, J. Biol. Chem. 264:2272-2278 (1989)). In contrast, the type III receptor shows comparable affinities for all TGF-β isotypes; the type III receptor is the most abundant cell-surface receptor for TGF-β in many cell lines (upwards of 200,000 per cell), and is an integral membrane proteoglycan. It is heavily modified by glycosaminoglycan (GAG) groups, and migrates heterogeneously upon gel electrophoresis as proteins of 280 to 330 kilodaltons. When deglycosylated with heparitinase and chondrontinase, the protein core migrates as a 100-110 kilodalton protein. The TGF-β binding site resides in this protein core, as non-glycosylated forms of this receptor that are produced in cell mutants defective in GAG synthesis are capable of ligand binding with affinities comparable to those of the natural receptor. (Cheifetz, S. and J. Massague, J. Biol. Chem. 264:12025-12028 (1989)). A variant form of type III receptor is secreted by some types of cells as a soluble molecule that apparently lacks a membrane anchor. This soluble series is found in low amounts in serum and in extracellular matrix.

The type III receptor, also called betaglycan, has a biological function distinct from that of the type I and II receptors. Some mutant mink lung epithelial cell (Mvl Lu) selected for loss of TGF-β responsiveness no longer express type I receptors; others, similarly selected, lose expression of both the type I and II receptors. However, all these variants continue to express the type III receptor. (Boyd, F. T. and J. Massague, J. Biol. Chem. 264:2272-2278 (1989); Laiho, M. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:18518-18524 (1990)). This has led to the proposal that types I and II receptors are signal-transducing molecules while the type III receptor, may subserve some other function, such as in concentrating ligand before presentation to the bona fide signal-transducing receptors. The secreted form of type III receptor, on the other hand, may act as a reservoir or clearance system for bioactive TGF-β.

Additional information about each of these TGF-β receptor types would enhance our understanding of their roles and make it possible, if desired, to alter their functions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to isolation, sequencing and characterization of DNA encoding the TGF-β type III receptor of mammalian origin and DNA encoding the TGF-β type II receptor of mammalian origin. It also relates to the encoded TGF-β type III and type II receptors, as well as to the soluble form of each; uses of the receptor-encoding genes and of the receptors themselves; antibodies specific for TGF-β type III receptor and antibodies specific for TGF-β type II receptor. In particular, it relates to DNA encoding the TGF-β type III receptor of rat and human origin, DNA encoding the TGF-β type II receptor of human origin and homologues of each.

The TGF-β receptor-encoding DNA of the present invention can be used to identify equivalent TGF-β receptor type III and type II genes from other sources, using, for example, known hybridization-based methods or the polymerase chain reaction. The type III receptor gene, the type II receptor gene or their respective encoded products can be used to alter the effects of TGF-β (e.g., by altering receptivity of cells to TGF-β or interfering with binding of TGF-β to its receptor), such as its effects on cell proliferation or growth, cell adhesion and cell phenotype. For example, the TGF-β receptor type III gene, the TGF-β receptor type II gene, or a truncated gene which encodes less than the entire receptor (e.g., soluble TGF-β type III receptor, soluble TGF-β type II receptor or the TGF-β type III or type II binding site) can be administered to an individual in whom TGF-β effects care to be altered. Alternatively, the TGF-β type III receptor, the TGF-β type II receptor, a soluble form thereof (i.e., a form lacking the membrane anchor) or an active binding site of the TGF-β type III or the type II receptor can be administered to an individual to alter the effects of TGF-β.

Because of the many roles TGF-β has in the body, availability of the TGF-β receptors described herein makes it possible to further assess TGF-β function and to alter (enhance or diminsh) its effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1C are the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 5) and the translated amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 6) of type III TGF-PI receptor cDNA clone R3-OFF (full insert size 6 kb), in which the open reading frame with flanking sequences of the clone are shown. The transmembrane domain is indicated by a single underline. Peptide sequences from purified type III receptor, mentioned in text, that correspond to the derived sequence, are in italics and underlined. Potential N-linked glycosylation sites are indicated by #, and extracellular cysteines by &. A consensus protein kinase C phosphorylation site is indicated by $. The last non-vector encoded amino acid of Clone R3-OF (2.9 kb) is indicated by @. Consensus proteoglycan attachment site is indicated by +++. Other potential glycosaminoglycan attachment sites are indicated by +. The upstream in-frame stop codon (−42 to −44) is indicated by a wavy line. Signal peptide cleavage site predicted by vonHeijne's algorithm (von Heijne, G., Nucl. Acid. Res. 14:4683-4690 (1986) is indicated by an arrow.

FIGS. 2A-2B are the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 7) of the full-length type II TGF-β receptor cDNA clone 3FF isolated from a human HepG2 cell cDNA library (full insert size 5 kb). The cDNA has an open reading frame encoding a 567 amino acid residue protein.

FIG. 3 is the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 8) of the full-length type II TGF-β receptor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention is based on the isolation and sequencing of DNA of vertebrate, particularly mammalian, origin which encodes TGF-β type III receptor and DNA of mammalian origin which encodes TGF-β type II receptor, expression of the encoded products and characterization of the expressed products. As described, a full-length cDNA which encodes TGF-β receptor type III has been isolated from a cDNA library constructed from a rat vascular smooth muscle cell line and a full-length cDNA which encodes TGF-β type II receptor has been isolated from a human cDNA library. The human homologue of the type III gene has also been cloned. A deposit of human TGF-β type III cDNA in the plasmid pBSK has been made under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at the American Type Culture Collection (10/21/912) under Accession Number 75127. All restrictions upon the availability of the deposited material will be irrevocably removed upon granting of a U.S. patent based on the subject application.

Isolation and Characterization of TGF-β Type III Receptor

As described herein, two separate strategies were pursued for the isolation of the TGF-β type III receptor cDNA. In one approach, monoclonal antibodies were generated against the type III receptor protein and used to purify the receptor, which was then subjected to microsequencing. (See Example 1.) Microsequencing of several peptides resulting from partial proteolysis of the purified receptor produced four oligopeptide sequences, which were used to construct degenerate oligonucleotides. The degenerate oligonucleotides were used either as primers in a cloning strategy using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or as probes in screening cDNA libraries. Although this strategy did not prove to be productive, the oligopeptide sequences were useful in verifying the identity of the receptor clones isolated by the second strategy.

In the second approach to isolating TGF-β receptor-encoding clones, an expression cloning strategy was used in COS cells; direct visualization of receptor positive cells was used to isolate receptor cDNAs. (See Example 2.) In this approach, a cDNA library was constructed from A-10 cells, a rat vascular smooth muscle cell line which expresses all three TGF-β receptors (Type I, II and III). COOS cells transfected with cDNA components of this library in a vector carrying the cytomegalovirus (CMV) transcriptional promoter and the SV40 origin of replication were screened to identify cells expressing substantially higher than normal levels of TGF-β receptor. One transfectant expressing such high levels of a TGF-β binding protein was identified and the original pool of expression constructs from which it was derived was split into subpools, which were subjected to a second round of screening. Two further rounds of sib-selection resulted in isolation of one cDNA clone (R3-OF) with a 2.9 kb insert which induced high levels of TGF-β binding proteins in approximable 10% of cells into which it was introduced. The specificity of the TGF-β binding was validated by showing that addition of a 200-fold excess unlabeled competitor TGF-β I strongly reduced binding of 125I-TGF-β to transfected cells.

The R3-OF cDNA encoded an open reading frame of 817 amino acid residues, but did not contain a stop codon. R3-OF was used as a probe to isolate a full-length cDNA from a rat 208F library. The resulting clone, R3-OFF, is 6 kb in length and encodes a protein of 853 amino acids, which is colinear with clone R3-OF. The nucleotide sequence of R3-OFF is shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, along with the translated amino acid sequence.

Characterization of the receptor encoded by R3-OFF was carried out, as described in Example 3. Results showed three distinct TGF-β binding protein species of TGF-β on the surface of mock-transfected COS cells, which is in accord with results reported by others (Massague, J. et al., Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 593:59-72 (1990)). These included the two lower molecular weight type I and II receptors (65 and 85 kD) and the higher molecular weight type III proteoglycan, which migrates as a diffuse band of 280-330 kd. Enzymatic removal of the proteoglycan yielded a core protein of approximately 100 kd. Binding to all three receptor types is specific in that it was competed by 200-fold excess of unlabeled TGF-β1.

Transfecting the isolated cDNA caused a two-fold increase in expression of the type III receptor. When a cell lysate derived from COS cells transfected with clone R3-OFF was treated with deglycosylating enzymes, the heterogeneous 280-330 kd band was converted to a protein core which co-migrates with the type III protein core seen in parental A10 cells. Importantly the recombinant protein core migrated differently from the endogenous COS cell type III protein core.

These observations were confirmed and extended using stably transfected cells expressing the type III cDNA. L6 rat skeleton muscle myoblasts do not express any detectable type III mRNA and no endogenous surface type III receptor (Massague et al., 1986; Segarini et al., (1989). These cells were transfected with the isolated cDNA in the vector pcDNA-neo. Cell clones stably expressing this clone in both the forward and reverse orientations with respect to the CMV promoter were isolated and analyzed by ligand binding assay.

Introduction of either the full-length clone R3-OFF or the partial clone R3-OF in the forward orientation resulted in expression of type III receptor. L6 cells transfected with the cDNA clones in the reverse orientation did not express this protein. Importantly, the apparent size of the protein core of the type III receptor in cells transformed with the R3-OF clone is smaller than that from R3-OFF transformed cells, consistent with the difference in the sizes of the protein cores predicted from their nucleic acid sequences.

Surprisingly, binding of radio-labeled ligand to the type II receptor was increased by 2.5 fold in cells expressing the type III cDNA. Binding to the type I receptor was unchanged. This apparently specific up-regulation of ligand-binding to the type II receptor was evident in all of the 15 stably transfected L6 cell lines analyzed to date. Furthermore, this effect seems to be mediated equally well by the full-length clone or a truncated clone (R3-OF) that lacks the cytoplasmic domain of TGF-β type III receptor was expressed.

Expression of type III receptor mRNA was assessed by Northern blot analysis and RNA blot analysis. Northern gel analysis showed that the type III receptor mRNA is expressed as a single 6 kb message in several rat tissues. RNA dot blot analysis of several different tissue culture cell lines was also carried out. Cells of mouse origin (MEL and YHl 6) appear to express a smaller (˜5.5 kb) message for the type III mRNA than those of pig, rat and human origin. In all of these cells, expression or absence of the type III mRNA is consistent with the expression or absence of detectable cell surface type III receptors, with the notable exception of the retinoblastoma cell lines (Y79, Weri-1, Weri-24, and Weri-27). These cells lack detectable surface expression of type III receptor, which confirms in earlier report. (Kimchi, A. et al., Science 240:196-198 (1988)). It is striking that the type III receptor mRNA is expressed in these cells at a level comparable to that of other cells that do indeed express type III receptor proteins at readily detectable levels. It appears that TGF-β receptor III expression, which is substantial in normal retinoblasts (AD 12), has been down-regulated in these retinoblastoma tumor cells, perhaps through post-transcriptional mechanisms.

The nucleotide sequence full reading frame along with flanking sequences of the full-length cDNA clone R3-OFF was determined and is presented in FIGS. 1A-1C. The reading frame encodes a protein of 853 amino acid residues, which is compatible with the 100 kD size observed for the fully deglycosylated TGF-β1 type III receptor. The identity of the receptor as TGF-β type III was verified by searching for segments of the putative transcription product which included the peptide sequences determined by microsequencing of the isolated type III receptor. (See Example 1.) As indicated in FIGS. 1A-1C, two segments of derived protein (underlined and italicized, residues 378-388 and 427-434) precisely match with the amino acid sequences of two peptides (I and III) determined from direct biochemical analysis of the purified type III receptor.

Further analysis showed that TGF-β type III binding protein has an unusual structure for a cytokine receptor. Hydropathy analysis indicates that the protein includes a N-terminal signal sequence, followed by a long, hydrophilic N-terminal region. A 27 residue region of strong hydrophobicity (underlined in FIGS. 1A-1C, residues 786-812) toward the C-terminus represents the single putative transmembrane domain. This suggests that nearly all of the receptor which is an N-terminal extracellular domain is anchored to the plasma membrane near its C-terminus. A relatively small C-terminal tail of 41 residues represents the cytoplasmic domain.

Analysis of related sequences provides few clues to function of TGF-β type III protein. Only one other gene described to date, a glycoprotein expressed in high quantities by endothelial cells and termed endoglin, contains a related amino acid sequence. The most homologous regions between the sequences of the type III receptor and endoglin (74%) falls primarily in the putative transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. Similar to the general structure of type III receptor, endoglin is a glycoprotein which contains a large hydrophilic N-terminal domain which is presumably extracellular, followed by a putative transmembrane domain and a short cytoplasmic tail of 47 amino acid residues. The biological role of endoglin is still unclear at present, although it has been suggested that it may be involved in cell-cell recognition through interactions of an “RGD” sequence on its ectodomain with other adhesion molecules. Unlike the TGF-β type III receptor, endoglin does not carry GAG groups.

Isolation of TGF-β Type II Receptor

The cDNA encoding the type II TGF-β receptor was also isolated, using expression cloning in COS cells. A full-length cDNA (designated clone 3FF) was isolated by high stringency hybridization from a human HepG2 cell cDNA library. Analysis showed that the corresponding message is a 5 kb message which is expressed in different cell lines and tissues. Sequence analysis indicated that the cDNA has an open reading frame encoding a core 567 amino acid residue protein. The nucleotide sequence of the full-length type II TGF-β receptor cDNA clone 3FF is shown in FIGS. 2A-2B; the amino acid sequence is represented in FIG. 3.

The 567 amino acid residue protein has a single putative transmembrane domain, several consensus glycosylation sites, and a putative intracellular serine/threonine kinase domain. The predicted size of the encoded protein core is ˜60 kd, which is too large for a type I TGF-β receptor. Instead, cross linking experiments using iodinated TGF-β and COS cells transiently transfected with clone 3FF shows over-expression of a protein approximately 70-80 kd which corresponds to the size of type II TGF-β receptors. Thus, clone 3FF encodes a protein that specifically binds TGF-β and has an expressed protein size of 70-80 kd, both characteristic of the type II TGF-β receptor.

Plasmid 3FF was deposited in accordance with the provisions of the Budapest Treaty at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va., 20110-2209, U.S.A. on Nov. 12, 1997, and assigned Accession Number ATCC 209455.

Uses of the Cloned TGF-β Receptors and Related Products

For the first time, as a result of the work described herein, DNAs encoding two of the three high affinity cell-surface TGF-β receptors have been isolated, their sequences and expression patterns determined and the encoded proteins characterized. Expression of the TGF-β type III receptor in cells which do not normally express the receptor, followed by ligand binding assay, verified that the cloned type III receptor-encoding DNA (i.e., either the full-length clone R3-OFF or the partial clone R3-OF) encoded the receptor. In addition, the work described herein resulted in the surprising finding that binding of TGF-β to type II receptors in cells expressing the type III DNA was increased by 2.5 fold.

Additional insight into the role of the TGF-β type III receptor and its interaction with TGF-β type II receptor is a result of the work described. For example, the role of TGF-β type III receptor is unclear, but it has been proposed that it serves a most unusual function of attracting and concentrating TGF-βs for eventual transfer to closely situated signal-transducing receptors. While most cytokines bind to a single cell surface receptor, members of the TGF-β family bind with greater or lesser affinity to three distinct cell surface proteins. This has raised the question of why these three receptors are displayed by most cell types and whether they subserve distinct functions. Evidence obtained to date suggests that the type III receptor may perform functions quite different form those of types I and II. Thus, type III is substantially modified by GAGs while types I and II appear to carry primarily the N-linked (and perhaps O-linked) side chains that are characteristic of most growth factor receptors. In addition, variant cells that have been selected for their ability to resist TGF-β-induced growth inhibition show the absence of Type I or Type II receptors while continuing to display Type III receptors. Together, these data have caused some to propose that the Type I and II receptors represent bonafide signal-transducing receptors while the type III receptor, described here, plays another distinct role in the cell.

It remains possible that the type III receptor serves a most unusual function of attracting and concentrating TGF-βs on the cell surface for eventual transfer to closely situated signal-transducing receptors. Such a function would be unprecedented for a proteinaceous receptor, although heparin sulfate has been shown to activate basic FGF by binding to this growth factor prior to FGF association with its receptor (Yayon, A. et al., Cell 64:841-848 (1991). Parenthetically, since the type III receptor also contains large quantities of heparin sulfate side-chains, it may also bind and present basic FGF to its receptor.

Evidence that is consistent with the role for the type III receptor comes from the work with L6 rat myoblast cells which is described herein. As described above, in L6 cells overexpressing type III receptor, the binding of radiolabelled TGF-β to the type II receptor is increased several fold when compared with that seen with parental cells. Further assessment of TGF-β type III function and interaction with type II and type I receptors will be needed to answer these questions and can be carried out using the materials and methods described here.

TGF-β receptors, both type III and type II, can be identified in other species, using all or a portion of the DNA encoding the receptor to be identified as a probe and methods described herein. For example, all or a portion of the DNA sequence encoding TGF-β type III receptor (shown in FIGS. 1A-1C) or all or a portion of the DNA sequence encoding TGF-β type II receptor (shown in FIGS. 2A-2B) can be used to identify equivalent sequences in other animals. Stringency conditions used can be varied, as needed, to identify equivalent sequences in other species. Once a putative TGF-β receptor type III or type II-encoding sequence has been identified, whether it encodes the respective receptor type can be determined using known methods, such as described herein for verification that the cDNA insert of full-length clone R3-OFF and the cDNA insert of partial clone R3-OF encode the type III receptor. For example, DNA isolated in this manner can be expressed in an appropriate host cell which does not express the receptor mRNA or the surface receptor (e.g., L6 rat skeleton muscle myoblasts) and analyzed by ligand binding (TGF-β binding) assay, as described herein.

Also as a result of the work described herein, antibodies (polyclonal or monoclonal) specific for the cloned TGF-β type III or the clones TGF-β type II receptor can be produced, using known methods. Such antibodies and host cells (e.g., hybridoma cells) producing the antibodies are also the subject of the present invention. Antibodies specific for the cloned TGF-β receptor can be used to identify host cells expressing isolated DNA thought to encode a TGF-β receptor. In addition, antibodies can be used to block or inhibit TGF-β activity. For example, antibodies specific for the cloned TGF-β type III receptor can be used to block binding of TGF-β to the receptor. They can be administered to an individual for whom reduction of TGF-β binding is desirable, such as in some fibrotic disease (e.g., of skin, kidney and lung).

DNA and RNA encoding TGF-β type III receptor and DNA or RNA encoding TGF-β type II receptor are now available. As used herein, the term DNA or RNA encoding the respective TGF-β receptor includes any oligodeoxynucleotide or oligodeoxyribonucleotide sequence which, upon expression, results in production of a TGF-β receptor having the functional characteristics of the TGF-β receptor. That is, the present invention includes DNA and RNA which, upon expression in an appropriate host cell, produces a TGF-β type III receptor which has an affinity for TGF-β similar to that of the TGF-β type III receptor on naturally occurring cell surfaces (e.g., it shows comparable affinities for all TGF-β isotypes). Similarly, the present invention includes DNA and RNA which, upon expression in an appropriate host cell, produces a TGF-β type II receptor which has an affinity for TGF-β similar to that of TGF-β type II receptor on naturally occurring cell surfaces (e.g., it has a distinctive affinity for each member of the TGF-β family of ligands similar to that of the naturally occurring TGF-β type II receptor). The DNA or RNA can be produced in an appropriate host cell or can be produced synthetically (e.g., by an amplification technique such as PCR) or chemically.

The present invention also includes the isolated TGF-β type III receptor encoded by the nucleotide sequence of full-length R3-OFF, the isolated TGF-β type III receptor encoded by the nucleotide sequence of partial clone R3-OF, the isolated TGF-β type II receptor encoded by the nucleotide sequence of full-length clone 3FF and TGF-β type III and type II receptors which bind TGF-β isotypes with substantially the same affinity. The isolated TGF-β type III and type II receptors can be produced by recombinant techniques, as described herein, or can be isolated from sources in which they occur naturally or synthesized chemically. As used herein, the terms cloned TGF-β type III and cloned TGF-β type II receptors include the respective receptors identified as described herein, and TGF-β type III and type II receptors (e.g., from other species) which exhibit substantially the same affinity for the TGF-β isotypes as the respective receptors.

As described previously, cells in which the cloned TGF-β type III receptor is expressed bind TGF-β in essentially the same manner as do cells on which the type III receptor occurs naturally. Further analysis of ligand interactions with the cloned TGF-β type III receptor, based upon site-directed mutagenesis of both TGF-β and the receptor, can be carried out to identify residues important for binding. For example, DNA having the sequence of FIGS. 1A-1C can be altered by adding, deleting or substituting at least one nucleotide, in order to produce a modified DNA sequence which encodes a modified cloned TGF-β type III receptor. The functional characteristics of the modified receptor (e.g., its TGF-β-binding ability and association of the binding with effects normally resulting from binding) can be assessed, using the methods described herein. Modification of the cloned TGF-β type III receptor can be carried out to produce, for example, a form of the TGF-β type III receptor, referred to herein as soluble TGF-β receptor, which is not membrane bound and retains the ability to bind the TGF-β isotypes with an affinity substantially the same as the naturally-occurring receptor. Such a TGF-β type III receptor could be produced, using known genetic engineering or synthetic techniques; it could include none of the transmembrane region present in the naturally-occurring TGF-β type III receptor or only a small portion of that region (i.e., small enough not to interfere with its soluble nature). For example, it can include amino acids 1 through 785 of the TGF-β type III sequence of FIGS. 1A-1C or a portion of that sequence sufficient to retain TGF-β binding ability (e.g., amino acids 24-785, which does not include the signal peptide cleavage site present in the first 23 amino acids). A soluble TGF-β type II receptor (e.g., one which does not include the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains) can also be produced. For example, it can include amino acids 1 through 166, inclusive, of FIG. 3 or a sufficient portion thereof to retain TGF-β binding ability substantially the same as that of TGF-β type II receptor.

The TGF-β type III receptor and/or type II receptor can be used for therapeutic purposes. As described above, the TGF-β family of proteins mediate a wide variety of cellular activities, including regulation of cell growth, regulation of cell differentiation and control of cell metabolism. TGF-β may be essential to cell function and most cells synthesize TGF-β and have TGF-β cell surface receptors. Depending on cell type and environment, the effects of TGF-β vary: proliferation can be stimulated or inhibited, differentiation can be induced or interrupted and cell functions can be stimulated or suppressed. TGF-β is present from embryonic stages through adult life and, thus, can affect these key processes throughout life. The similarities of a particular TGF-β (e.g., TGF-β1) across species and from cell to cell are considerable. For example, the amino acid sequence of a particular TGF-β and the nucleotide sequence of the gene which encodes it regardless of source, are essentially identical across species. This further suggests that TGF-β has a critical role in essential processes.

Specifically, TGF-β has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and immune suppression capabilities, to play an important role in bone formation (by increasing osteoblast activity), inhibit cancer cell proliferation in culture, and control proliferation of glandular cells of the prostate. As a result, it has potential therapeutic applications in altering certain immune system responses (and possibly in modifying immune-mediated diseases); in treating systemic bone disease (e.g., osteoporosis) and conditions in which bone growth is to be enhanced (e.g., repair of broken bones) and in controlling growth and metastasis of cancer cells. In addition, TGF-β appears to play a role in determining whether some cell types undergo or do not undergo mitosis. In this respect, TGF-β may play an important role in tissue repair. Some diseases or conditions appear to involve low production or chronic overproduction of TGF-β. (For example, results of animal studies suggest that there is a correlation between the over production of TGF-β and diseases characterized by fibrosis in the lung, kidney, liver or in viral mediated immune expression.)

Clearly, TGF-β has key roles in body processes and numerous related potential clinical or therapeutic applications in would healing, cancer, immune therapy and bone therapy. Availability of TGF-β receptor genes, the encoded products and methods of using them in vitro and in vivo provides an additional ability to control or regulate TGF-β activity and effect in the body. For example, the TGF-β type II or type III receptor encoded by the type II or the type III receptor genes of the subject invention can be used, as appropriate, to alter the effects of TGF-β (e.g., to enhance the effect of TGF-β in the body or to inhibit or reduce (totally or partially) its effects). It is also possible to administer to an individual in whom TGF-β bound to TGF-β type III receptor, such as soluble TGF-β type III receptor. The present invention provides both a TGF-β agonist and a TGF-β antagonist. For these purposes, DNA gene encoding the entire TGF-β type II or type III receptor, the encoded type II or type III receptor or a soluble form of either receptor can be used. Alternatively, antibodies or other ligands designed based upon these sequences or specific for them can be used for this purpose.

Knowledge of the amino acid sequences of TGF-β type III and type II receptors makes it possible to better understand their structure and to design compounds which interfere with binding of the receptor with TGF-β. It makes possible identification of existing compounds and design of new compounds which are type III and/or type II receptor antagonists.

Cells expressing the type III and/or type II receptors of the present invention can be used to screen compounds for their ability to interfere with (block totally or partially) TGF binding to the receptors. For example, cells which do not express TGF-β type III receptor (e.g., L6 rat skeleton muscle myoblasts) but have been modified to do so by incorporation of the type III cDNA in an appropriate vector can be used for this purpose. A compound to be assessed is added, for example, to tissue culture dishes containing type III expressing cells, along with labeled TGF-β. As a control, the same concentration of labeled TGF-β is added to tissue culture dishes containing the same type of cells. After sufficient time for binding of TGF-β to the receptor to occur, binding of labeled TGF-β to the cells is assessed, using known methods (e.g., by means of a gamma counter) and the extent to which it occurred in the presence and in the absence of the compound to be assessed is determined. Comparison of the two values show whether the test compound blocked TGF-β binding to the receptor (i.e., less binding in the presence of the compound than in its absence is evidence that the test compound has blocked binding of TGF-β to the TGF-β type III receptor).

Alternatively, a cell line expressing the TGF-β receptor or cells expressing microinjected TGF-β receptor RNA, can be used to assess compounds for their ability to block TGF-β binding to the receptor. In this embodiment, a compound to be assessed is added to tissue culture dishes containing the cell line cells expressing microinjected TGF-β receptor RNA, along with TGF-β. As a control, TGF-β alone is added to the same type of cells expressing microinjected endothelin receptor RNA. After sufficient time for binding of TGF-β to the receptor to occur, the extent to which binding occurred is measured, both in the presence and in the absence of the compound to be assessed. Comparison of the two values shows whether the compound blocked TGF-β binding to the receptor. The TGF-β type III and type II receptors can also be used to identify TGF-β-like substances, to purify TGF-β and to identify TGF-β regions which are responsible for binding to the respective receptors. For example, the type III receptor can be used in an affinity-based method to identify substances which bind the receptor in a manner similar to TGF-β.

The invention will now be illustrated by the following examples, which are not intended to be limiting in any way.

EXAMPLES

Materials and methods used in Examples 1-5 are described below: Materials

The following is a description of materials used in the work described herein.

Recombinant human TGF-β1 was provided by Rik Derynck of Genetech. COS-M6 cells were provided by Brain Seed of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Alejandro Aruffo of Bristol-Myers-Squibb. Heparitinase was provided by Tetsuhito Kojima and Robert Rosenberg of MIT. LLC-PK₁ cells were a gift of Dennis Ausiello of the Massachusetts General Hospital. YH-16 cell were a gift of Edward Yeh of the Massachusetts General Hospital. 3-4 cells were a gift of Eugene Kaji of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. All other cell lines were purchased from ATCC and grown as specified by the supplier, except as noted.

Expression Cloning

Construction of cDNA Library and Generation of Plasmid Pools

10 μg polyadenylated mRNA was prepared form A10 cells by the proteinase-K/SDS method (Gonda et. al., Molec. Cell. Biol. 2:617-624 (1982)). Double stranded cDNA was synthesized and linked to nonpalindromic BstX1 adaptors as described by Seed, B. and A. Aruffo, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3365-3369 (1987). Acaptored cDNA was size-fractionated on a 5 to 20% potassium acetate gradient, and inserts greater than 1 kb were ligated to the plasmid vector pcDNA-1, and electroporated in the E. coli MC1061/P3, yielding a primary library with a titer of >10⁷ recombinants. A portion of the cDNA was plated as pools of ˜1×10⁴ recombinant bacteria colonies grown on 15 cm petri dishes with Luria-broth agar containing 7.5 mg/ml tetracycline and 12.5 mg/ml ampicillin. Cells were scraped off the plates in 10 mls of Luria-broth, and glycerol stocks of pooled bacteria were stored at −70° C. The remaining bacteria was used to purify plasmid DNA using the alkaline lysis mini-prep method (Sambrook, J. et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed. (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989)).

COS Cell Transfections and Binding Assay

Plasmid pools (each representing ˜1×10⁴ clones) were transfected into COS-M6 (subclone of COS-7 cells) by the DEAE-dextran/chloroquine method described by Seed, B. and A. Aruffo, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3365-3369 (1987). Forty-eight hours after transfection, cells were incubated with 50 pM¹²⁵I-TGF-β1 (100 to 200 Ci/mmol) for 4 hours at 4° C.), autoradiographic analysis of transfected cells was performed using NT-B2 photographic emulsion (Kodak) essentially as described (Gearing, D. P. et al., EMBO J. 8:3667-3676 (1989)). After development of slides, cells were air-dried and mounted with mounting media and a glass coverslip. Slides were analyzed under an Olympus OM-TI inverted phase-contrast microscope using a dissection trans-illuminator for darkfield illumination.

Subdivision of Positive Pool

Of 86 pools screened, one pool (#13) was identified as positive and a glycerol stock of bacteria corresponding to this pool was titered and 25 pools of 1000 clones were generated and miniprep plasmid from these pools were transfected into COS cells as described above. Several positive pools of 1000 were identified, and one was replated as 25 plates of 100 colonies. A replica was made of this positive plate and harvested. Once a positive pool was identified, individual colonies were picked from the corresponding master plate and grown overnight in 3 ml liquid culture. A 2-dimensional grid representing the 100 clones was generated and a single clone, R3-OF, was isolated.

Cloning of R3-OFF

A 208F rat fibroblast library in lambda ZAP II (Stratagene) was screened at high stringency with clone R3-OF insert, and several clones with ˜6 kb inserts were isolated, one of which is referred to as R3-OFF.

DNA Sequencing and Sequence Analysis

Double-stranded DNA was sequenced by the dideoxy chain termination method using Sequenase reagents (United States Biochemicals). Comparison of the sequence to the data bases was performed using BLAST (Altschcul, S. F. et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410 (1990)).

Iodination of TGF-β

TGF-β1 was iodinated using the chloramine-T method as described (Cheifetz, S. and J. L. Andres, J. Biol. Chem. 263:16984-16991 (1988)).

Chemical Cross-Linking

Transfected COS cells grown on 10 cm dishes or subconfluent L6 and A-10 cells grown on 3.5 cm dishes were incubated with ¹²⁵I-TGF-β1 in binding buffer (Frebs-Ringer buffered with 20 mM Hepes, pH 7.5, 5 mM MgSO₄, 0.5% BSA), washed 4 times with ice-cold binding buffer without BSA, and incubated for 15 minutes with binding buffer without BSA containing 60 ng/ml disucinimidyl suberate at 4° C. under constant rotation. Cross linking was terminated by addition of 7% sucrose in binding buffer. Cells were scraped, collected and pelleted by centrifugation, then resuspended in lysis buffer (10 mM Tris, pH 7.4, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0, 1% Triton-X 100, 10 μg/ml of pepstatin, 10 μg/ml leupeptin, 10 μg/ml antipain, 100 μg/m; benzamidine hydrochloride, 100 μg/ml soybean trypsin inhibitor, 50 μg/ml aprotonin, and 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride). Solubilized material was analyzed by 7% SDS-PAGE and subjected to autoradiographic analysis by exposure to X-AR film (Kodak) at −70° C.

Enzymatic Digestion

Digestion of solubilized TGF-β receptors with chondroitinase and heparitinase was performed as described (Cheifetz, S. and J. L. Andres, J. Biol. Chem. 263:16984-16991 (1988); Segarini, P. R. and S. M. Seyedin, J. Biol. Chem., 263.8366-8370 (1988)).

Generation of Stable Cell Lines

L6 myoblasts were split 1:10 into 10 cm dishes and transfected the following day by the calcium phosphate method (Chen, C. and H. Okayama, Molec. Cell. Biol. 7:2745-2752 (1987)) with clones R3-OF or R3-OFF in the forward and reverse orientations in the vector pcDNA-neo (InVitrogen). Cells were subjected to selection in the presence of G418 (Geneticin, GIBCO) for several weeks until individual colonies were visible by the naked eye. These clones were isolated and amplified.

RNA Blot Analyses

Rat tissue polyadenylated mRNA was prepared by the lithium chloride/urea method (Auffrey, C. and F. Raugeon, Eur. J. Biochemistry 107:303-313 (1980), followed by oligo-dT cellulose chromatography (Aviv and Leder, 1972). Polyadenylated mRNA from cell lines was prepared by the proteinase K/SDS method (Gonda, T. J. et. al., Molec. cell. Biol. 2:617-624 (1982)). Samples of mRNA were resolved by electrophoresis on 1% agarose-2.2M formaldehyde gels, blotted onto nylon membranes (Biotrns, ICN) and incubated with the 2.9 kb insert of clone R3-OF labeled with ³²P by random priming as probe (Sambrook, J. et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, (1989). Hybridizations were performed at 42° C. in hybridization buffer containing 50% formamide overnight, and blots were washed at 55° C. in 0.2×SSC, 0.1% SDS, before exposure to X-AR film at −70° C.

Example 1 Production of Anti-Type III Receptor Protein Antibodies and Microsequencing of Peptides Resulting from Partial Proteolysis of Purified Type III Receptor

Initially cellular proteoglycans were purified from human placenta and then subjected to enzymatic deglycosylation with heparitinase and chondroitinase. Protein cores in the molecular weight range of 100-130 kilodaltons were further purified by preparative gel electrophoresis; these should include the type III receptor. This partially purified material was used as an immunogen in mice. After screening 850 hybridoma lines developed from immunized mice, three lines were found to produce antibodies that specifically recognized and immunoprecipitated a deglycosylated polypeptide species of 100-120 kD. This species could be radiolabelled by incubation of whole cells with ¹²⁵I-TGF-β followed by covalent cross-linking. Its size is consistent with that of the protein core previously reported for the type III receptor. (Massague, J., Annu. Rev. Cell. Biol. 6:597-641 (1990)).

Monoclonal antibody 94 was used to purify the type III receptor from rat liver by affinity-chromatography. The purified receptor was subjected to partial proteolysis and the resulting peptides were resolved by high pressure liquid chromatography. Several peptides were subjected to microsequencing and yielded the following oligopeptide sequences: Peptide I:   ILLDPDHPPAL (SEQ ID NO: 1) Peptide II:  QAPFPINFMIA (SEQ ID NO: 2) Peptide III: QPIVPSVQ (SEQ ID NO: 3) Peptide IV:  FYVEQGYGR (SEQ ID NO: 4)

These peptide sequences were used to construct degenerate oligonucleotides that served either as primers in a cloning strategy using the spolymerase chain reaction (PCR) or as probes in screening cDNA libraries. While this strategy was not productive, the oligopeptide sequences proved useful in verifying the receptor clones isolated by the second, alternative strategy (see Example 2).

Example 2 Expression Cloning of the Type III Receptor cDNA

An expression cloning strategy in COS cells, a procedure which takes advantage of the considerable amplification of individual cDNAs in transfected COS cells was used as an alternative means to isolate TGF-β receptor clones. Such amplification is mediated by SV40 large T antigen expressed by the COS cells interacting with a SV40 origin of replication in the cDNA vector. Gearing, D. et. al., EMBO J. 8:3667-3676 (1989); Lin, H. Y., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 88:3185-3189 (1991a); Lin, H. Y. et. al., Science, in press (1991); Mathews, L. S. and Vale, W. W., Cell 65:973-982 (1991).

The strategy involved the construction of a cDNA library from A-10 cells, a rat vascular smooth muscle cell line that expresses all three high-affinity TGF-β receptors. The resulting cDNAs were inserted into the vector pcDNA-1, which carries the CMV transcriptional promoter and the SV40 origin of replication. The resulting library was then divided into pools of 10,000 independent recombinants each and DNA from each pool was transfected into 1.5×10⁶ COS-7 cells grown on glass flaskettes by means of DEAE-dextran transfection procedure. Aruffo, A. and Seed, B., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:8573-8577 (1987); Gearing, D. et al, EMBO J. 8:3667-3676 (1989); Mathews, L. S. and Vale, W. W., Cell 65:973-982 (1991). The transfected cells were cultured for 48-60 hours and then exposed to radiolabelled TGF-β I for four hours. Following this treatment, the glass slides carrying these cells were washed extensively and fixed. These slides were dipped in liquid photographic emulsion and examined by darkfield microscopy. While all of the receptor genes cloned to date by this procedure have undetectable or low constitutive levels of expression in COS cells, we were hindered by the fact that untransfected COS cells already express substantial amounts of type III TGF-β receptor. Such expression, estimated to be approximately 2×10⁵ receptor molecules per cell, might well have generated an unacceptably high level of background binding. However, since the detection procedure involves visualizing radiolabelled ligand-binding on individual cells, it was hoped that identifying occasional cells expressing substantially higher levels of vector-encoded receptor would be possible. This hope was vindicated in the initial experiments.

After screening nearly one million cDNA clones in this manner, a glass slide containing 20 positive transfectants was identified. The original pool of expression constructs from which one such transfectant was derived was split into 25 subpools of 1000 clones each and these were subjected to a second round of screening. Two further rounds of sib-selection resulted in the isolation of a cDNA clone (R3-OF) with a 2.9 kb insert that induced high levels of TGF-β-binding proteins in approximately 10% of COS cells into which it was transfected.

The specificity of this binding was validated by showing that addition of a 200-fold excess of unlabeled TGF-β competitor strongly reduced binding of ¹²⁵I-TGF-β to transfected cells. By taking into account a transfection efficiency of 10% and the high background of endogenous receptor expression, we calculated that the level of total ¹²⁵I-TGF-β binding to each glass slide of cells transfected with the cDNA clone was only 2-fold above the level seen with mock transfectants (data not shown). Nonetheless, this marginal increase in ligand-binding was sufficient to identify rare transfectants amidst a large field of cells expressing this background level of receptor.

The R3-OF cDNA encoded an open reading frame of 836 amino acid residues of which the 3′ most 18 were encoded by vector sequence, clearly indicating that clone R3-OF was an incomplete cDNA insert which ended prematurely at the codon specifying alanine 818. R3-OF was used as a probe to isolate a full-length cDNA from a rat 208F lambda phage library. This clone, termed R3-OFF, was 6 kb in length and encoded a protein of 853 amino acids; its sequence was co-linear with that of clone R3-OF.

Example 3 Characterization of the Product of the Full Length Clone R3-OFF

Characterization of the product of the full length clone R3-OFF was undertaken in order to determine which of the three TGF-β receptors it specified. To do so, COS transfectants were incubated with radioiodinated TGF-β, chemical crosslinker was added and the labeled receptors were resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Labeling of cell surface TGF-β receptors in this way resulted in the detection of three distinct species on the surface of COS cells, as extensively by others (Massague, J. et al., Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 593:59-72 (1990). These included the two lower molecular weight type I and II receptors (65 and 85 kD) and the higher molecular weight type III proteoglycan, which migrated as a diffuse band of 280-330 kd. Enzymatic treatment of the proteoglycan with chondroitinase and heparitinase yielded a core protein of approximately 100 kd. Binding to all three receptor types was specific, in that it was completed by 200-fold excess of unlabeled TGF-β1.

Transfecting the R3-OFF cDNA caused a two-fold increase in expression of the type III receptor. When a cell lysate derived form COS cells transfected with clone R3-OFF was treated with deglycosylating enzymes, the heterogenous 280-330 kb band was converted to a protein core which co-migrated with the type III protein core seen in untransfected A10 cells. Importantly, the recombinant protein core migrates differently from the endogenous COS cell type III protein core.

These observations were confirmed and extended in experiments using stably transfected cells expressing the R3-OFF cDNA. L6 rat skeleton muscle myoblasts normally do not express detectable type III mRNA or endogenous type III receptor (determined by radiolabelled ligand-binding assay). Such cells were transfected with the isolated cDNA in the vector pcDNA-neo. Cell clones stably expressing this clone in both the forward and reverse orientations with respect to the CMV promoter were isolated and analyzed by ligand-binding assay.

Introduction of either the full length clone R3-OFF or the partial clone R3-OF in the forward orientation led to the de novo expression of the type III receptor. L6 cells transfected with the cDNA in reversed orientation did not express this protein. The apparent size of the protein core of the type III receptor in cells transfected with the R3-OF clone is smaller than that expressed by R3-OFF transfected cells, consistent with the difference in the sizes of the protein cores predicted form the respective nucleic acid sequences (FIGS. 1A-1C).

Unexpectedly, the amount of radio-labeled ligand cross-linked to the type II receptor is increased by 2.5 fold in cells expressing the type III cDNA, while the amount cross-linked to the type I receptor remained unchanged. The apparent specific up-regulation of ligand-binding to the type II receptor could be detected with all of the 15 stably transfected L6 cell lines analyzed so far. This effect seems to be mediated by the truncated clone R3-OF which lacks the cytoplasmic domain as well as by the full-length clone R3-OFF.

Example 4 Expression of Type III Receptor

Northen blot analysis demonstrated that the type III receptor mRNA is expressed as a single 6 kb message in several rat tissues. The level of mRNA expression in the liver was less than in other tissues, a result expected from earlier surveys of various tissues using radioiodinated TGF-β1. Based on this information, it appears that clone R3-OFF, with a ˜6 kb cDNA insert, represents a full length rat type III cDNA clone.

Cells of mouse origin (MEL and YH16) appear to express a smaller (˜5.5 kb) message for the type III mRNA than those of pig, rat and human origin. In all of these cells, expression or absence of the type III mRNA is consistent with the expression or absence of detectable cell surface type III receptors with the notable exception of the retinoblastoma cell lines (Y79, Weri-1, Weri-24, and Weri-27). These cells have previously been shown to lack detectable surface expression of type III receptor, a result confirmed by our own unpublished work. It is striking that the type III receptor mRNA is expressed in these cells at a level comparable to that of other cells that do indeed express type III receptor proteins at readily detectable levels. At this moment, we can only conclude that TGF-β receptor III expression, which is substantial in normal retinoblasts (AD12), has been down-regulated in these retinoblastoma tumor cells, perhaps through post-transcriptional mechanisms.

Example 5 Sequence Analysis of the Full-Length Type III cDNA

The full-length cDNA clone (R3-OFF), described in Example 4, was subjected to sequence analysis. The full reading frame along with flanking sequences is presented in FIGS. 1A-1C. This reading frame encodes a protein of 853 amino acid residues, which is compatible with the 100 kD observed for the fully deglycosylated TGF-type III receptor.

Two segments of derived protein sequence (underlined and italicized, residues 378-388 and 427-434) precisely match those determined earlier form direct biochemical analysis of the purified receptor protein. This further secured the identity of this isolated cDNA clone as encoding the rat type III receptor.

This TGF-β binding protein has an unusual structure for a cytokine receptor. Hydropathy analysis indicates a N-terminal signal sequence, followed by a long, hydrophilic N-terminal region (Kyte, J. and R. F. Doolittle, J. Mol. Biol. 157:105-132 (1982)). A 27 residue region of strong hydrophobicity (underlined, residues 786-812) toward the C-terminus represents the single putative transmembrane domain. This suggests that nearly all of the receptor is composed of an N-terminal extracellular domain that is anchored to the plasma membrane near its C-terminus. A relatively short C-terminal tail of 41 residues represents the putative cytoplasmic domain.

The clone R3-OF was also analyzed and found to be a truncated version of R3-OFF, with an identical open reading frame but whose last encoded residue is alanine 818 (FIGS. 1A-1C).

In R3-OFF there are six consensus N-linked glycosylation sites and 15 cysteines (indicated in FIGS. 1A-1C). There is at least one consensus glycosaminoglycan addition site at serine 535 (Bernfield, M. and K. C. Hooper, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. in press (1991), and numerous Ser-Gly residues that are potential sites for GAG conjugation. A consensus protein kinase C site is also present at residue 817.

Only one other gene described to date, a glycoprotein expressed in high quantities by endothelial cells and termed endoglin (Gougos and Letarte, 1990), contains a related amino acid sequence. Overall, there is ˜30% identity with the type III receptor over the entire 645 amino acid residue length of endoglin. The most homologous regions between the sequences of the type III receptor and endoglin (74% identity) falls primarily in the putative transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. Similar to the general structure of type III receptor, endoglin is a glycoprotein which contains a large hydrophilic and presumably extracellular N-terminal domain followed by a putative transmembrane domain and a short cytoplasmic tail of 47 amino acid residues. The biological role of endoglin is unclear, though it has been suggested that it may involve cell-cell recognition through interactions of an “RGD” sequence on its ectodomain with other adhesion molecules. Unlike the TGF-β type III receptor, endoglin does not carry GAG groups.

Equivalents

Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using not more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims. 

1. A method of treating a disease or condition associated with overproduction of TGF-β in an individual comprising administering to said individual an expression vector comprising DNA encoding a soluble TGF-β receptor selected from the group consisting of: soluble TGF-β type II receptor and soluble TGF-β type III receptor, wherein said encoded soluble TGF-β receptor is expressed in an amount sufficient to reduce the effects of said overproduction of TGF-β in said individual.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the soluble TGF-β type II receptor has a nucleotide sequence comprising a contiguous fragment of a) a cDNA insert contained in a plasmid deposited under ATCC accession number 209455, b) SEQ ID NO: 7, or c) a nucleotide sequence which encodes an amino acid of SEQ ID NO: 8, wherein the fragment encodes a soluble TGF-β type II receptor polypeptide capable of specifically binding TGF-β.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the soluble TGF-β type III receptor has a nucleotide sequence comprising a contiguous fragment of a) a cDNA insert contained in a plasmid deposited under ATCC accession number 75127, b) SEQ ID NO: 5, or c) a nucleotide sequence which encodes an amino acid of SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein the fragment encodes a soluble TGF-β type III receptor polypeptide capable of specifically binding TGF-β.
 4. A method of treating fibrosis in an individual comprising administering to said individual an expression vector comprising DNA encoding a soluble TGF-β receptor selected from the group consisting of: soluble TGF-β type II receptor and soluble TGF-β type III receptor, wherein said encoded soluble TGF-β receptor is expressed in an amount sufficient to reduce the effects of said fibrosis in said individual.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the soluble TGF-β type II receptor has a nucleotide sequence comprising a contiguous fragment of a) a cDNA insert contained in a plasmid deposited under ATCC accession number 209455, b) SEQ ID NO: 7, or c) a nucleotide sequence which encodes an amino acid of SEQ ID NO: 8, wherein the fragment encodes a soluble TGF-β type II receptor polypeptide capable of specifically binding TGF-β.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the soluble TGF-β type III receptor has a nucleotide sequence comprising a contiguous fragment of a) a cDNA insert contained in a plasmid deposited under ATCC accession number 75127, b) SEQ ID NO: 5, or c) a nucleotide sequence which encodes an amino acid of SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein the fragment encodes a soluble TGF-β type III receptor polypeptide capable of specifically binding TGF-β.
 7. The method of claim 4 wherein the fibrosis occurs in an organ of the individual selected from the group consisting of: lung, kidney, liver and combinations thereof. 